Scotch whisky brand Ballantine’s has unveiled its latest offering: Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel.  The new expression from the Pernod Ricard-owned brand blends Scottish and American traditions to deliver a whisky with depth and a touch of sweetness.

Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel is distilled by blending single malts and single grain Scotch whiskies that are aged in oak casks for a minimum of seven years, before being finished in charred American barrels, sourced from Kentucky.  It is a tribute to founder George Ballantine who was aging and selling seven-year-old Whisky back in the 1870s, despite the fact that aging whisky was not common practice then. 

Thanks to the 7-year old ageing process and the finish in American barrels, the whisky combines the depth and complexity of Scotch with the sweet, creamy notes afforded by the American Barrels, to give you the best of both worlds. 

On the nose, the Whisky features sweet toffee apples mixed with honey and vanilla. The palate finds red apples echoing the nose, intermingled with ripe pear and creamy caramel. The finish is long and sweet.

Nthabiseng Motsoeneng, Marketing Director, Pernod Ricard South African & Sub-Saharan Africa says:  Innovation is in our blood and with Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel we wanted to clash global whisky cultures to create a unique Scotch whisky with a richer taste.  The 7-years of oak cask ageing brings more depth and complexity than Ballantine’s Finest, combined with the American Barrel maturation, it brings in extra layers of richness, creaminess and caramel sweetness. 

Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel was created for those who dabble in traditional Scotch or American whiskey, it’s for expanding the palette or the answer to the search of a sweeter taste.   

Samuel Phasha, National Brand Ambassador for Ballantine’s at Pernod Ricard South Africa adds “A great way to enjoy Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel is in an Old Fashioned, with a couple of dashes of orange bitters to complement the sweet notes of the whisky.  However, it’s also delicious neat, on the rocks or with a premium mixer like soda, ginger ale or cola for extra refreshment.”

Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel is available at major liquor outlets for a selling price of R349.00